The Return
by Child-of-the-Dawn
Summary: SPOILERS for book 6! Someone comes home.


SPOILERS FOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE (BOOK 6)

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Harry James Potter sat sipping the cup of Earl Grey in silence. He had been so for quite a while,

although his older companion felt it must of been years, for she'd never seen his look or act so mature,

so serious and so...

So like Albus Dumbledore.

A lump formed in Minerva Mcgonagall's throat at the name. For three months after term had been utterly

and terribly cut short ( and a month after Harry was welcomed back to Hogwarts after his early and final

visit to Number 4) she had been unable to speak his name. It had been easier in the wake of his loss, she

had yet to see him lying there like Harry had, so there was that thread of denial. But it was crystal clear

now.

And so was Harry's plan. He had confided in only herself, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione. No one else

knew where Harry had been, or that one part of Voldemort's soul was gone. That made three down and

four to go until Harry could kill Voldemort once and for all and avenge Lily, James, Sirius, Cedric, and

Albus's murders. For it all came back to Tom Riddle's hatred when each death occured. And Harry, she

noticed, was as determined and strong as ever, with new purpose. After all, the Order of the Phoenix

had decided it was Harry who would take Albus's place, much to Harry's shock. But they all saw what

he still could not see, that Harry Potter was a leader, and that young as he was, he was the one to save

them all.

Minerva took another look at the young man before her, a sudden pang of sympathy in her heart. Harry

had, though he recalled little, seen his mother murdered, then Cedric, then Sirius, and now Albus, whom

she suspected he'd loved like the grandfather he lost before he was even born. All violent deaths, but none

so absolutly painful as the one Harry had felt he could have prevented, if only Albus had not gone so self-

sacrificing and frozen the boy on the spot so as to keep him out of Draco and...Severus's..line of sight.

But that was the same sort of what-if she herself had spoken. If she'd only not told Severus..If she'd

gotten her "damned Scottish stubbornness" Albus had always kindly noted to push her to follow them

that night. What-ifs...things that were of no use now.

" Minerva?" Harry said hesitantly, still shy about using her first name even though the school was

officially closed. She blinked for a moment, fighting the wetness in her eyes, before turning to stare

at Harry's profile. His eyes had gone completly glassy by the time she looked at him fully, whatever

he had begun to say lost at something out the window.

" So it was planned...that son of a..." Minerva's eyebrows quirked. Harry looked almost feverish

in the dying sunlight, an unbelieving smile on his face. And for a moment he just stared at the window

while she tried to puzzle out what he saw in the ever-darkening night.

Then it was clear as she stopped looking and started listening. A joyful, uplifting tune sang out over

the treetops of the Forbidden Forest and grew louder and louder as the unmistakable form of Fawkes

the Phoenix was before them. He seemed to wink at them before beating his wings and gliding down

to the front gates, the joyful tune played just for the two of them never wavering.

" He wants us there. Lets go" Said Harry, his eyes lifting from the terrible fog they'd possesed for near

three month since the funeral. Minerva felt her heart lighten as well, though she still didn't know why. After

all, hadn't her dearest friend been murdered, the friend she'd finally admitted to loving as strongly as she

ever had anyone else?

The two reached the gates panting and, in Minerva's case, clutching their abdomen. Her wounds still

had not healed fully, having been agitated by her stress and grief according to Poppy. But the wounds

were isntantly forgotten as two figures came towards the duo from the other side of the gates. One

garbed in a black cloak and the other...

The other was Severus Snape.

When Snape and drawn close enough, Mineva leaped forward, ignoring Harry's cry of " No!" and

screaming a curse from her homeland with all the rage she could muster. Snape's eyes widened

and he began to speak, but his tall companion jumped in front of his, cloak billowing out behind

him as he reacted in perfect form with the curse's companion defense. In shock, Minerva fell into

him in her attempt to get to Snape. Two arms brought her close and, before she knew it, she was

enveloped in a tight embrace.

" I wouldn't want you to kill to avenge me." Whispered a oh-so-familiar voice in her ear. She

gasped and pulled away, grabbing the hood of the cloak and throwing it back, her hand resting

on pure white hair. Albus's hair. He looked older than ever, and must worse for the wear, but

he was certainly real.

Minerva bit back a laugh. So that was what Harry's fury had been about! Albus had planned

the events, staged his own death, and not told Harry one iota of the true plan. She buried her

face in the lemon-scented robes once more before turning to lookat the fury written on Harry's

face mixed with an odd look of total relief that rendered him the image of indecision. He was

most certainly deciding on whether to hug the old man from relief or punch him into the coming

week. He settled for crying softly and shaking his head, muttering " I should have known..."

over and over again under his breath.

" Albus...how? why? and, the..the body..you..Harry was right there...I..." Minerva began, as

Albus moved to stand eye to eye with Harry ( Minerva started to notice Harry was almost the

taller of the two) and placed a hand on his sholder. In response, Harry hugged him and glared

at the same time at the older wizard.

" I should hex you for that, sir. " He said in a teasing voice, the kind that Albus had used

with Minerva years ago, causing both her and the ever silent Snape no small amount of

amusement. Snape smirked, before frowning again and scanning the forest.

" Cover your head again, Albus. I don't like that we've returned so soon. The last thing

we need is for you to be 'alive' again and me before the Dark Lord, explaining how I knew

you would survive..." Dumbledore nodded, the hood falling over his eyes and almost to his

newly shaven chin. He threw each side over Harry and Minerva, effectively blocking them

from the view of any would-be spy. Minerva held tightly to him, almostr afraid he was not

real.

" So, Albus. Care to tell me why neither myself nor Harry, who I'm suprised didn't know,

knew about this plan of yours?" She asked as they approached the doors leading down to

the cave entrance by the boat docks. He smiled down at her, the feeling of twinkling eyes

boaring through the thick cloak.

" Realism, my dear Minerva. Realism. Severus knew how Harry would react to my er..

death, so to speak. And we didn't want to chance a Legimens being around, so we left

Harry out of that bit of knowledge--truely sorry, M'boy," He said, his healthy hand

squeezing the young man's sholder sympatheticly.,"--and by doing so ensured his

safety and our plan. And you...well you too were needed to be authentic in your own

response. Forgive me." Minerva sniffed, laying her head on his sholder.

"Nothing to forgive. I think I speak for both Harry and I when I saw we're just happy

to have you back." Harry nodded, sniffing as well.

Dumbledore chuckled. " I think we're goong to need some tissues soon." He said,

smiling at the tear-filled eyes of his companions. Harry decided not to mention out

loud that Dumbledore's eyes were just as watery.

" Coast is clear. Hurry, to my office" Said Minerva, once they had all gotten inside

the draftly main corridor to find it empty of all being ( alive or otherwise). With hurried

steps, the four found themselves in the red, plush chairs before the Headmistress's

desk.

" I...hadn't the heart to use the main office..." Minerva said almost shyly, before

turning to sit next to Harry with her lips pursed.

" Explain, Albus. You too, Severus." Both men looked at one another before

Dumbledore spoke.

" In the cave I took Harry with me to...there was a batch of Draught of Living Death."

Harry's mouth dropped open and he smacked his forehead," Yes, Harry, I feel quite

stupid to not have noticed either. I did battle the effects long enough to get back to

the castle. Thats how I 'died' so to speak."

" And Severus had to attack me. He made the Unbreakable vow...and when I

pleaded with him, it was to kill me, not to spare me. As for the spell," His eyes

twinkled merrily behind his glasses at them before he continued," A simple

Protego charm...combined with the nature of the killing curse..and there I went,

floating myself down to the grass, where I transfigued a tree root to my body."

Snape, quiet in the shadows, suddenly spoke from behind Dumbledore.

" Headmaster, if I may take my leave? It is still not safe for me here or any-

where near this place." He said urgently, eyes nervously scanning the room.

Dumbledore nodded his approval, and the bat-like man was soon out of sight,

blending in with the gloomy corridor seamlessly.

And then there were the three of them alone in the silence of Snape's

abrupt departure. All was quiet until Harry stood up.

" I should be going, I haven't spent the full allotment of time at my Aunt's."

He said sadly, sighing as he passed Dumbledore with the same thankful

smile coming over his face for a fleeting moment. But Dumbledore's voice

called him back with his next words.

" You know, Minerva, I'll need to relocate somewhere heavily protected.

Might the two of us use your family's castle? I know it is guarded sufficiently

to keep Voldemort unaware of our prescence." Harry spun around, not daring

to believe what he though Dumbledore mean't. The elder man's amused eyes

as he turned to face Harry, however, dashed and thought that Harry had

imagined it.

" You mean it? I never have to go to Privet Drive again?" He said, in a

voice so much like a childs that Minerva looked motherly from her seat

before the fire, her cup of Earl Grey forgotten and cooling, at the two men

in front of her.

" Well yes, M'boy." Dumbledore said," You see, no one knows just who

in your family lives. And though there are non, a simple lie will do. All Pure-

Blood families are related. From your Father, I could be considered a VERY

distant cousin. Mind you, its not enough to of made us blood kin, but should

anyone read your mind - which I plan to put a stop to - they would only glean

what you'll tell Ron and Hermione, that your living with a distant cousin. As

for myself, a Familiei Resemien charm, along with Minerva as Secret Keeper,

would ensure my anonimity. Now, do go pack your things, we shall be gone

from here in a-." Before Dumbledore could say another word, Harry had turned

and sprinted towards the Common Room with a laugh that floated back to the

two old friends on the wind.

" Ah," Chuckled Dumbledore, eyes still misty," I had though that youthful

boy was forever banished from our young friend...so good to see he can still

laugh like that." He said quietly, senseing Minerva's prescence by his side.

He gently reached out and pulled her to him, as she in turn lay her head on

his sholder and began to weep.

" I'm so sorry, Minerva. I wished I hadn't had to hurt you, to hurt our young

charges, especially Harry. But its for the best, and I'm here now." Looking

down, he slowly turned so that she was leaning against his chest, soaking

his robes with her tears.

One hand reached out and tipped her chin up so that her eyes looked

into his.

" Oh goddess, I though I'd never get to do this." She said suddenly,

leaning up to kiss him lightly on the mouth, crying all the while.

" Today, Albus, I told Harry not to push away Genavive, Ginny, just

because he feared for her. And he told me how much he wished to

tell you so much he never said. Well, damnit Albus, I Love You. And

until today I never cared, simply content to be by your side. But..you

will die as all mortals do someday...and I want to have loved you all

the while..." She trailed off, sobbing in a manner no one would expect

of her while Dumbledore processed her emotional and somewhat

random burst of emotion.

" Minerva..."He said, burying his face in her sweet-smelling hair, a

smile crossing his face.

" I won't push you away, Minerva. And after we win, I want you to

do one thing for me..." He bent to on knee before her, removing a

locket from his neck inscrubed with his family crest: A ruby Phoenix.

" Be my wife." Minerva smiled and nodded, her voice not finding a

way past the lump in her throat. Only an hour ago had she thought

she was alone and that Harry would be carrying out some mystery

mission alone. And noe she knew her young cub would be guided

and she would be the wife of the greatest man she'd ever had the

honor of knowing.

A cough broke them apart. Standing at the door, blushing three

shades of red, was Harry, grinning ear to ear. Sheepishly, he looked

up and laughed.

" I can't believe Ron was right. Too bad I'll have to wait a while for

the war to be over to tell him that his jokes should be taken as

prophecy..."

" Not.a.word.EVER." Said Minerva darkly, her dignified and sharp

voice somewhat dimmed by her position in Dumbledore's arms. Harry

smiled and winked over her head at Dumbledore.

Perhaps, mused Minerva, the darkness would be bearable, so long

as people remembered to love.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Ok, I'm a sap. This was written to make me feel better.

But no, I don't believe he is dead. I'll keep hoping till the last book is

done!

And Snape is not evil, I believe that he was forced too my the Vow, and

that Dumbledore was pleading with him to do the evil deed in order to

spare his position as spy and stupid Draco's life.Sorta rushed, but this

is my idea and I had to get it out.That is all xD

AD/MM forever!


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